Game of Murder
by BlurryIllusions
Summary: Ten participants but only one victorious winner. What's the prize? It's staying alive within these bloody walls of dread. Sora wakes up in a dark, menacing room, with no recollection as to how he's lying in the room. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Game of Murder (Sora's POV)**

**Chapter 1**

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><p>As consciousness swept in, I felt a pounding in my head that wouldn't go away. Sleep was quickly dissolving, making me aware of the hard, cold ground I was currently lying on. Did I fall off my bed again? I groaned and shuffled around, trying to grasp my comfy warm blanket, only to grab nothing. The air was cold, a bit chilly than what I'm rather used too. I shivered, goosebumps appearing on my skin. Who the heck messed with the AC? It usually stays the same.. I flickered my blue eyes open, grumpy about waking up so soon before widening my tired eyes in surprise. Huh? This doesn't look like my room. I blinked, confusion beginning to overtake my drowsy state. I immediately stand up, rocking to the side a little, feeling dizzy and nauseous.

The room I was currently in wasn't tiny at all but it wasn't humongous. It was about the size of a classroom. I slowly started to panic, glancing around the unfamiliar room. I didn't recognize anything at all and I'm pretty sure it wasn't a room I ever laid my eyes on. The chilly air went perfectly with the creepy, closed off room. The room looked close to one of those medieval places, like a chamber room with horrifying torture devices. The walls had black bricks engraved in them, making the room appear even more menacing. There were also absolutely no windows in this dark, lonely room. In front of my eyes, there was this huge door made out of wood.

What happened? Where am I? My breathing started to quicken, as harsh, panicked gasps escaped. I can only vaguely remember what happened before this. I think I recall receiving a text from a friend, not someone I talk that much to though. He mentioned a game of some sort, a popular game that people were buying... Then, he named the place and time to grab it. I figured it might be something worth buying and planned on meeting up there with a couple of my friends who were also interested. I was the first to arrive but after entering the building, it all went blank. I can't seem to pick any memories up, which made me a bit worried.

I guess I should probably try to leave this room if I'm going to find some answers. I trudged forward, heading towards the large door when something caught my attention in this bare room. A red backpack was lying in the corner of the room, appearing to be stuffed with quite a few items. There was also a small piece of paper lying on top of the backpack, provoking curiosity. I stumbled towards the red backpack, intent on knowing what was scribbled on the note.

I finally reached the backpack, immediately picking up the note before frowning disappointingly. The only words scrambled on the flimsy note was my name. Sora was written in huge bold letters. I crumbled the paper, tossing it to the side. I guess this backpack was meant for me then. I clutched the bag, opening the only zipper on it. Reaching in the bag, I felt a few items rustling around. I slowly took them out one by one.

There was at least five water bottles, a box of crackers, a screwdriver and a letter. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. A screwdriver? Why would I need a screwdriver? Sighing, I reached for the letter, opening the note. Words engulfed my sight, making me blink a couple of times. It seems as if this letter was meant for me. I started to read the letter, mumbling the words out loud.

_Dear Sora Garrett,_

_You were chosen to participate in the annual "MurderFest." You are expected to follow all the rules/guidelines that will be listed below or you shall suffer the consequences._

_RULES/GUIDELINES_

_-There will be a weapon in your backpack that you may use to murder the victim of your choice. We have chosen it specifically for you so no other participants may bear the same weapon as you._

_-You and the other participants will be given one week to kill each other until only one winner is standing. If a winner is not decided by the end of the week, we will release a deadly gas to poison and kill all the participants._

_-If a person dies by your hands, you are allowed to take any of their weapons and belongings. You are not allowed to take anyone's weapons if you did not murder them yourselves. You will be terminated immediately if you do not follow this rule._

_-If you're not out of the room you're currently contained in, you will be exterminated. You have twenty minutes to leave the room by the time you awaken._

_-Be creative in your killings._

_There are a total of ten participants in this competition and the victorious winner escapes with their life. We hope you enjoy this game. We will be anticipating the final results._

As I read along, I slowly started tensing up, eyes growing wide with horror. This has to be a cruel joke of some sort, right? There is no way any person will allow a game like this to happen. Any person who'd even dare think of this _has_ to be a twisted, deranged being. I started to tremble, growing panicked. Oh god, am I expected to murder someone? There is no way I could ever do that. A person with good morals would never go along with a sick game like this.

My legs started to shake before I collapsed to the floor, dread filling up my core. How the hell did I end up here in this room? A headache began to wrack my head, making me clutch my forehead with a soft whimper. I don't think I can deal with this.. I froze with disbelief, not able to process anything for awhile. I stared blankly off to the room, blue eyes popped open with shock. After staring off to space for a few minutes, I took a deep shuddering sigh before flickering my eyes to my backpack.

Shivering in panic, I deliberately placed the items lying on the floor back into the red backpack, pausing at the screwdriver in my hands. It was rusty and it contained a dark red handle.. I was expected to murder someone with this? I can't even kill a bug without screaming in fright. If I can't even slaughter a flimsy insect, how am I expected to kill a person? A human, with the same blood and bones as me?

I gazed at the huge door, knowing I'll be expected to leave soon. Soon, I'll be plunged into a dark bloody game beyond these walls..

How utterly terrifying...

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><p><strong>AN: **Alright, this is an idea that hit me. I guess it's probably similar to those shows you may watch like Mirai Nikki, The Hunger Games (never watched it though), some manga. LOL, I'm not trying to be original or unique with this story but it's going to be written in my way. This is sorta different than the stories I normally write though, I think? Not really, I still like writing horror stories. I like romantic stories to with a side of drama, haha, though I rarely have any of those stories. I'll try to write more of those in the near future. OKAY, THIS IS LIKE ONLY THE PROLOGUE TYPE OF THING. It'll be longer later though. No romantic relationships in this story, though.

Feel free to leave some reviews, criticism or etc. Whatever, as long as you like reading my story.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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><p>Hesitantly, I pushed the large, heavy door out. The door scraped against the floor, making me cringe at the screeching sound. Taking a deep breath, I stumbled out into the large hallway. I jumped in terror, startled when the door slammed shut behind me. My azure eyes automatically flickered across the hall, observing the long hallways that stretched on and on. I noticed the hallways had the same interior design as the room I was previously in, with black bricks slathered all over the walls. The corridor was also dimly lit, allowing darkness to creep upon my sight. I guess I'll have to move forward.<p>

I walked forward, taking light, slow steps, feeling cautious about the amount of noise being projected. I continued moving down the halls, paranoid as I glanced to the left and the right of me. My throat tightened in fear as I took note of the dried, rust-colored blood splattered on the slick floors and walls. Panicked thoughts raced through my head, as I pondered on about what could have had possibly happened here. The corridor I was currently walking on curved, allowing me to swerve to the left. A few rooms were scattered in this new hallway. However, the wooden doors were smaller than the one in the previous room I was contained in. A small frown appeared on my face, as I walked forward into the hallway.

There are suppose to be ten participants, including me in this "Murderfest." If they're expecting us to kill each other, are they going to place the competitors nearby? I soon grew curious, having the strong urge to know answers. These cold-blooded people kidnapped us, placed us here and expects us to commit murder? That's absolutely absurd. This place was like a maze, twisting into dead ends and no answers. I felt the sudden need to explore the area, to understand how large this place is.

I swiftly moved to the first door to my left, gripping the cold doorknob, before swinging the door open. I felt anxious as my eyes adjusted to the lit room, though I quickly sighed in relief. The room was currently empty with not a single object or living being in sight. Good, I don't need to be coming across any people this soon. I closed the door before moving to the next room to my right. Empty as well. The rooms were all quite similar in size, with bugs slithering across the floor. I continued down the hall, taking my time, opening rooms only to find them bare with no signs of living people.

I was standing outside the tenth room to my right before the sound of swift, graceful footsteps echoed through the halls, making me tense. I stopped breathing, my mouth becoming dry. My hand was still clenching the doorknob, my body heat warming the cool knob. My brain had probably decided to backfire on me because I didn't have the ability to slip inside the room, where I would most likely be safe and free from danger. The footsteps were distant at first but they gradually grew louder, the small and insignificant detail roaring into my ear drums.

I tried to stay optimistic, as forced positive thoughts raced through my mind. Those footsteps most likely belonged to a participant and if anything, they were probably as lost and confused as I am in this cruel, vicious game. Hopefully, those footsteps belonged to someone as friendly as me. I suddenly became aware of the person's presence, as the sound of their walking suddenly stopped a few feet away from where I was standing.

"Well, hello there." A low suave voice murmured. I tensed, slowly turning around to meet the person. As I flickered my eyes on the figure, I noticed an unusual amount of pink to the man. Though, the only place that contained the light rosy color was the figure's ruffled shoulder-length hair. He stood tall, towering over me with his broad shoulders. He appeared to look quite feminine with his deceiving pink long hair but the superior twinkle to his blue eyes and sinister smile to his face brought the impression that he probably wasn't the person his girly hair was making him out to be.

"Hello.." I whispered, a bit unnerved by the person in front of me. My lips were pursed as I studied the figure, eyes roaming. He was wearing a backpack similar to mine, his small bag slung over one of his shoulders. My eyes suddenly widen with disbelief, as I spotted the participant's weapon. He had a strap wrapped around his hip, with a sword placed inside it's sheath.

I'm guessing that's a katana sword, sharp and deadly. This person received a sword for heaven's sake and it could kill anyone in an instant. What did I receive to protect myself? A flimsy, little screwdriver that won't do any damage to anyone. A foul frown appeared on my face, irritated to receive such a useless weapon. The man was studying me calmly, before opening his mouth to start a conversation.

"This is such a predicament we're thrown into, am I right? Needless to say, I am not amused." The pink-haired man uttered, sounding dull with an expression that screamed discontent. My throat felt dry, words shriveling up as I struggled to reply. Not able to spit out any words, I gave a quick, silent nod to the question. The man narrowed his eyes at me, observing my spiky brown hair and sky-blue eyes. "Hmm, you look quite familiar.." He slowly started to stroke his chin in thought, eyes absent-mindedly brushing across my body. "What's your name, kid?" The words were spitted out of his mouth, with something akin to distaste. I scrunch my face up, slightly annoyed to being referred as to a child.

"The name's Sora." I said firmly, staring at the man with fierce eyes. The pink guy halted, his eyes widening in what seemed like recognition before letting out a quick harsh bark of laughter. I faltered, my confident stance crumbling as my lips curl into a deep frown, confused and dismayed. The man stopped, amusement dissolving as a cold smile was placed on.

"You're Sora Garrett? The oh-so popular sophomore with the cheerful smile on his face? Well, this shall be amusing. I'll be sure to enjoy this game to the fullest." The words were spoken with a hint of concealed eagerness, sending shivers up my spine. Before I was able to speak, he interrupted. "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Marluxia Chambers." I stood there, wondering if I had any connections to this Marluxia.

"Have we met before? Am I suppose to know you?" I whispered, sounding a bit harsh. I soon tensed uneasily as a slight smile flickered my way. It was not at all a friendly smile but it was icy and frigid, chilling my bones.

"Of course not, why would I ever have the desire to associate with _someone_ like you?" Marluxia narrowed his eyes in amusement, an unsettling smirk replacing his previous smile before adding in. "You should learn to treat an upperclassman with more respect. Seniors are surely more superior than a mere sophomore." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, letting my guard down at the familiar subject.

Respect? Superior? I'm now more certain than ever I've never met Marluxia before. The mention of something close to school had sent me into a sense of security, forgetting about the fact that I was currently in some bloodthirsty game with people I have yet to meet. Though, I soon paused, realization slowly hitting me. Marluxia is a senior and he seems to know me which means he _has_ to be attending the same school as I am. Does this mean I'm going to have to fight people that goes to my school? I started to grow uneasy, beads of sweat rolling down my forehead at the thought. But what's the chance I'm going to meet anyone I know in this game? If anything, I wasn't aware Marluxia went to the same school as me. But I had to be sure, so I flickered my eyes to blue eyes. I grated out the question, unnerved by his emotionless eyes.

"Does this mean we go to the same school?" Marluxia let out a quick, dull laugh, as he stared down at me, not bothering to answer. I flickered my eyes to the ground with anxiety, already answering the question myself. Marluxia is a senior and _apparently_, he goes to my school.. _Great._.. I continued to grow more curious, more questions appearing than answers. Did he wake up here, too? Does he have any memories on how he was sent here? Unfortunately, the words never made it past my mouth. The stoic behavior Marluxia was displaying in this situation had me biting back any words. I had a feeling that he probably wasn't the right person to question.

The mood in the air shifted, growing eerie. Marluxia appeared to be fed up with the conversation, as he raised lowered his arm up to grasp the handle of the sword, though he did not unsheathe his weapon. Alarm quickly aroused, making me stiffen with apprehension. My eyes flickered, focusing intently at the hand softly gripping the handle.

"A sword.. That's your weapon?" I vocalized, slightly shaken with horror. Marluxia frowned, before focusing on the weapon he had clenched onto.

"Oh, this silly thing? Oh yes, this is the tool those imbeciles decided to arm me with." He looked immensely displeased with the choice, as disgust spilled out of his mouth. The sword was soon removed from it's sheathe, gleaming brightly under the poor lights. He started waving it around in the air, as if testing it's worth. Despite feeling utterly frightened, my face was clear of any apparent fear, a rather placid look being shown.

"Maybe you should put that sword back so you don't accidently hurt someone." I suggested, placing on a strained smile. However, instead of listening to my helpful advice, he took a large step forward, startling me. Reflexively, I moved back a step, my polite smile starting to falter. His face was void of any expression, making me nervous. He gradually advanced towards me, his sword glinting dangerously and right before he was able to make any threatening actions, I bolted.

My heart thumped heavily with fear as I raced down the halls. The terror I felt pumped me with adrenaline, making me run faster than ever. The halls were starting to shift to the left, lights flashing as I past by them. After sprinting for at least a minute, I slowed down, reluctantly glancing behind me for any psychos with a sword. Thankfully, there were none. Harsh pants started to spill out as I struggled to catch my breath. I soon started to relax, as my panic started to plummet.

That was horrifying. Though, I couldn't help but wonder if he was even intending on striking me with his sword. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry and by the way he was swinging that weapon at me, it felt like he was planning on doing some serious damage. Hopefully, the other participants aren't as intimidating as him. I seriously felt like pissing myself at how chilling he acted. The guy _had_ to be screwed up in the head.. He didn't seem too bothered by this gruesome game and the way he flickered his eyes at me when he was holding the sword? It was bloodthirsty.. But I was probably delving in too deep with my conclusions, gazing into those impassive eyes. He _probably_ wasn't trying to do anything..

I glanced around the halls, noticing the different design compared to the previous halls. This particular hallway was large and had a lot of space between the walls. However, the hall with the black bricks was a bit cramped with the walls being closely together. The lights were also a lot brighter but it had the atmosphere of an old, creepy hospital. The walls were also covered in white paint, with a few creepy bloodstains drenched on the walls.

I was deciding whether or not I should explore the current rooms when the sound of footsteps caught my ears. Oh god, not again. I moaned in horror, as the distinctive steps crept closer. Nonetheless, I rushed towards the first door in my view and slithered in, making sure to make as little sound as I can. After closing the door gently, I noticed a huge difference compared to previous rooms I searched.

This room was tinier than the classroom-sized rooms. It was about the size of an average room. But what relieved me the most was the fact that there was another door to the right in this small room. So I sprung into action, racing towards the door before swinging it open with urgency.

_Oh gosh.._ I was _slightly_ disappointed when I discovered the door didn't led to another room but a small closet. Then, I was _seriously_ traumatized when I found the tale-tell signs of dried blood doused on the walls. Though, the memory of Marluxia holding a sword awakened my fear, so I jammed myself into the stuffy closet. I shuffled around across the bloody floor uncomfortably, before realizing I had a backpack full of useable objects.

I scrambled to open the red bag, hearing items shuffling around. I finally found the screwdriver I owned and rushed to have it in my grasp. I suddenly remembered the five water bottles I owned and how parched my mouth felt. I had just sprinted down the halls and who knows how long it's been since I've last had a drink? I grabbed a bottle before downing the water down. It felt relieving as the cool water trailed down my throat, leaving me quite satisfied. Soon after, I gripped my rusty screwdriver, ready to jab anyone who tried to kill me.

Even if a screwdriver was the worst weapon choice ever, I was definitely ready to dig my weapon into their stomach before they can stab any of my internal organs. Though, purely in self-defense. I wasn't about to murder anyone in this fucked-up game, even if I was about to die. I started formulating a plan in my head, on what action to take if Marluxia finds me. I decided that if the door were to open, I would jam the somewhat sharp part of my screwdriver into him, before zipping out of the room, only to run for my life once again.

I stopped all my thoughts, straining my ears, when I heard footsteps outside of my door. They were shuffling around, up and down the hall, opening random doors before they decided to pause outside of my room. I stilled, holding in my breath, wishing for them to continue down the hall. _But no_, the door creaked open. However, the steps did not enter the room, making me let out a sigh of relief.

_Leave. Leave. Leave. Please leave._ My mind chanted over and over again, hopeful.

Apparently, he didn't listen to my yearning because he soon entered the room. Trembling hands arose, as I gripped my screwdriver with tightly clenched fists. I held it like a dagger, ready to stab the predator. I still had one tiny shred of hope but it quickly died down when hesitant footsteps landed in front of the closet door. My breathing quickened, terror and panic mixing together. My stomach had coiled in fear, as a cold sweat broke out. My eyes had dilated in horror as the door slowly squeaked opened. I clenched my eyes firmly, letting out a battle cry as I aimed hard to damage the man but a terrified high-pitched shriek stopped me in my tracks.

That voice was not _deep_ at all.. If anything, it _sounded _like a girl. I blinked my eyes open, only to find a shaking _handgun_ pointed to my face. _Dear god_, they could shoot me at any second. I rose my eyes to meet a pale, sickly face. Her startled blue eyes met my frightened blue eyes, before gasping once again. The handgun was lowered, recognition flooding her face. She looked as if she _suddenly _understood the situation. A quiet whisper soon slipped out, sounding panicked.

"Sora?"

If there was anything that rushed through my head, it was a _"oh fuck no.." _I was stricken with horror, panic and lastly, devastation as my eyes widely stared into familiar, blue eyes. I gritted my teeth, despair overtaking me as realization slammed into me.

I'm _supposed_ to murder my _**classmates**.._

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><p><strong>AN:** OKAY, this was a chapter I enjoyed writing! But hopefully, this chapter wasn't boring. I'm more into the bloody killing/thrilling moments in some horror stories because I'm usually bored with all the talking or non-action moments. Though, I don't want to rush my story nor do I want to take a lot of time to get to the good moments.. I'm honestly afraid of writing dialogue (weak point) in a story because I don't know what to make the character say. :D Characterization might be a bit off but this _is_ AU.. Haha, I have no excuses though. Writing just isn't my thing. I'm pretty sure Marluxia wanted a scythe of some sort. Well sorry, you don't always get the things you want in life.

Review if you feel like I'm doing something wrong. In my personal opinion, it sorta feels like I'm rushing this or _something_ (maybe it's how short this chapter is). Sorry, if the ending seem a bit abrupt. (IDK what I feel like I'm doing wrong)

Feel free to take a guess on who you think the girl is. ;D Fast update because why not?


	3. Chapter 3

**NOTICE **(There's a character POV change later on in this chapter for another character.)

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

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><p>A pair of soft baby blue eyes were staring at me. The light-colored eyes were placed on a pale face, along with rosy cheeks. Blonde hair flowed down below her shoulder, paired with bangs parted to the side. She started to relax from her tense posture, looking relieved to find someone she recognized. She had lowered her trembling handgun down, quickly stuffing it in her pocket, before offering her hand out towards me.<p>

"Sora, what are you doing here?" She whispered out, disbelief etched out on her soft face. I mirrored her expression, not able to wrap my head around the fact that she was currently standing in front of me. I grabbed her hand, accepting her offer, pulling myself up from the bloody floors. My legs were still wobbly, panicked from the chance of confronting Marluxia once again. A tiny smile curved upwards on my face, a bit shaky as I directed it towards her.

"I think I should be asking the same thing." A small laugh came out, a bit jittery and hysterical, sounding nothing like the jubilant laughs I usually give off. She shot a hesitant smile towards me, her blue eyes uneasy.

Namine Dolly. She's a reputable freshman at our school, well-known for her marvelous art work. I had her for a class but I never bothered talking to her. Most of the time, I was usually engaged in a small chat with my friends, slightly taking note of the petite figure doodling at the back of the classroom. Though, I would occasionally notice the little smiles she would display as she sketched, barely paying attention to her surroundings. From the way people gossiped about her, it seemed like she was a rather quiet sensitive girl, quite kind if you confront her. I don't know much about her though, other than the fact that she cherished drawing and surprisingly, she knows my name too.

I was still in the dingy closet so I took a step out, stretching my cramped limbs out. My eyes flickered to the door, noticing it was wide open. Trudging towards the door, I peeked my head out, making sure nobody was nearby before closing it shut silently. Then, I turned to Namine, intent on acquiring answers from the young artist.

"Namine.." She snapped her eyes to me, surprise flashing in her blue orbs. I had a slight frown on my face, thinking carefully of a topic to start with. "Who brought you here?" I croaked the question out, my frown deepening. It was probably better to discuss what knowledge we had regarding this game. Namine frowned unhappily, replying with a soft shake to the head. Supposedly, Namine didn't understand much more than me as to why she was here. "I see. I guess you don't really have any answers too." I was about to grasp my hair with frustration when Namine replied softly, sounding a bit nervous.

"I don't really recall anything except waking up in a dark, cold room." I nodded, urging her to keep speaking. Namine paused a little, rubbing her arms anxiously. She had broken into goosebumps, shivering both from fear and the chilly air. "Then, I found a backpack with a note, telling me about this strange game we're suppose to be playing. There were also a few water bottles and a box of crackers in the backpack, along with this handgun." She seized her handgun from her pocket, taking it out warily. Namine dropped the gun in my grasp, before quickly pulling her hand away, face pale with nausea.

I observed the pistol, twisting it around in my hands. Bringing the gun up to my ear, I rattled it, trying to listen for any bullets. I didn't hear much but I can only assume it was full. I lowered the gun, handing it back to Namine with a queasy expression, reflecting her revulsion. She grabbed the handgun reluctantly, frightened to have it back in her grip.

"It was the same way with me, only I didn't receive the same weapon as you," I murmured, reaching for the screwdriver I had placed in my bag earlier. I took it out, before placing my weapon into her quivering hands. Namine stared down at it in a daze, not moving one inch, as her cloudy blue eyes flickered across the rusty screwdriver. She snapped out of her trance, gripping the screwdriver tightly as she examined the details. She ran her eyes along the stick, her hands running down the screwdriver, feeling the rough edges. It was as if she was taking in all the small parts of the piece, observing it deeply before parting away from it. With a sigh, she returned the screwdriver back to me.

"Is that screwdriver really going to protect you?" Namine mumbled softly, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. A small hysterical laugh burst out of me, as I reached to scratch the back of my head, a bit puzzled as well.

"I guess not but a screwdriver is better than having nothing.." I stated, directing a light smile towards her. She shifted around uncomfortably, before mumbling a soft reply.

"Yeah..."

The room fell silent. Namine was fidgeting, looking immensely distressed with the situation. I let out a sigh, rubbing my eyes with exhaustion. I wanted to fall into a deep sleep, then_ maybe_ I'll wake up, only to find that this horrible game was only a nightmare. Though, no matter how bad this day was going, a little shred of relief and happiness awakened after I met Namine.

"Namine," I whispered, bringing my eyes up to Namine. "It might sound a little random but I'm really glad to have met you today even if it only was a few minutes ago." Surprise was etched all over Namine's face, though it soon dissolved with a small smile.

"Thanks Sora. I feel the same exact way." She whispered back, blue eyes shining with relief. The mood in the atmosphere lightened up slightly, with Namine smiling gently, looking less tense than before and with me grinning right back at her, teeth gleaming.

"You don't have to worry about anything," I added in, blue eyes determined. "We have each other. I'll protect you no matter what then we'll find a way out of this." Namine's smile was soft as her hesitant eyes flickered over to my screwdriver, staring at it for quite awhile before gazing down at her own weapon.

"Maybe it's best if I'm the one protecting us," Namine uttered quietly, her smile slightly curving downwards. A grimace slowly took over her face, her frown growing even bigger. It was clear that Namine wasn't enthusiastic about the game at all and neither was I. I didn't reply, an awkward silence taking over the room once again. We both stood there anxiously, fearful for the upcoming challenges. I was thinking, planning over on what actions to take. Though, I was never the best planner so it took quite awhile, mulling over possibilities with a frown.

"Shouldn't we leave this room, Namine? I mean we can't stay here forever. It's best if we keep moving, right?" I questioned, my eyebrows arched. Namine gazed at me, slightly nodding.

"Yeah.. but won't there be dangerous people out there?" She mumbled, sounding conflicted.

"I guess so but there's also a chance that someone out there is terribly frightened and confused like us. Won't it be best to help them too?" I asked, exaggerating with my hand in the air, a firm look on my face.

However, a tiny piece of worry had me consider my options. Wasn't I stopped by Marluxia earlier? Even though nothing enormous happened, the pink-haired man still posed a threat. It hadn't even been that long since I encountered Marluxia so it wouldn't be a smart move to leave this soon. I frowned, opening my mouth, ready to change my mind but before I could speak, Namine interrupted the words that were about to spill out of me.

"You're right, it's probably the best thing to do. I'm willing to go along with whatever you decide." Namine appeared to be a bit hesitant but her eyes were unfaltering. She had placed her trust on me, willing to follow with any of my choices. I smiled in relief, glad to have her support.

"Thanks Namine, how about we stay here for awhile then? For like twenty minutes? Just so we can prepare ourselves for any danger." Namine nodded, not aware of the real reason as to why I decided to stay. I noticed my legs were a bit sore from standing up so I slowly dropped down to the floor, stretching out my legs. I urged Namine to do the same. She quietly followed along, relaxing.

"So, I guess we should plan on what to do if we meet someone," I murmured, scratching the back of my head. I paused, my mind going absolutely blank as Namine stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue talking. "W-well, umm, I um think we should-" Namine raised an eyebrow, trying to decipher what I'm stammering on about.

"What should we do if we meet someone dangerous?" Namine asked, attempting to help me. I opened my mouth, before closing it with a puzzled look.

I had no clue on what action to take, mostly because I've had never been placed in a scenario even close to this one. The only time I recalled meeting anyone that was even close to menacing was this stranger, asking for some change but it wasn't like they were trying to threaten me or anything. Horror movies were my next closest bet but it involved a lot of hiding rather than running the hell away. Not helpful at all..

"Well," I started slowly, "I think we should run, we wouldn't want to risk our lives trying to fight them." She nodded, agreeing with my terms.

"How about if they're like us, lost and confused?" She murmured, a curious gleam in her eyes. I breathed in deeply, deliberating on what action to take.

"We befriend them, then we make a plan on how to escape. The more people we have with us, the better this'll work out..." I declared, determined eyes shining, sending a grin towards Namine. She sent back a small shaky smile, murmuring in agreement.

I'm not sure on how we're going to make it out of this mess but we just are, I guarantee it. Namine and I will escape with our lives, I won't ever allow anything to happen to either one of us, I promise. She can have my word on it, we'll stay together and I'll protect her with my life. It doesn't matter if I just met her because I already know she's a good person, she doesn't deserve to be here in this horrible game.

Though, I'm not really sure how I can protect her. I _can't_ kill someone with my own hands but I wouldn't want her to murder anyone too. I shook my head, ignoring the problems that were starting to appear.

"Namine, before you entered this room, did you see anyone?" I was slightly anxious to hear the answer, understanding that Marluxia is still out there somewhere, ready to slice the both of us to pieces.

"No, I haven't. Why, have you?" She shook her head, flickering her inquisitive eyes to me. I frowned, shuddering from the previous interaction I had with the pink-haired man.

"Yeah, I did. It was this pink-haired guy. He told me his name was Marluxia..." I prattled out, my face scrunching up with frustration. Namine stilled, light blue eyes going wide with shock as she let out a tiny gasp. I flickered my eyes over to her in surprise, wondering what she knew about the guy.

"You mean Marluxia is here? Marluxia Chambers?" She choked out, examining me for an answer. I nodded quickly, confirming her question. "But.. he goes to _our _school. Does this mean they're trying to make us fight people we know?" The words that came out in a small whisper, frail and terribly frightened.

"I guess so.." I mumbled hesitantly, afraid to scare Namine even further.

"But Marluxia's not a bad person, why would he be here?" I blinked in confusion, listening to Namine's words. What? Marluxia is a good person? Yeah right, he tried to hack me with his sharp sword. I don't even get why Namine wouldn't think he's all innocent, especially from the way he talks with that inferior smirk of his.

"How do you know Marluxia?" I questioned, interest piquing, watching Namine grow upset.

"He's in a elective class of mine, we're both taking French 2 together." Namine sighed, fiddling her thumbs together. "I mean, I don't talk to him much or anything but it's not like he's not a bad student or _anything, _I think. I'm usually just too busy doing other stuff to be paying attention to him..." I vaguely had a sense of what Namine was implying when she mentioned "other stuff."

"_Other stuff? _Don't you mean drawing in your sketchbook during class?" I added, a slight smile on my face. Namine blushed, a pinkish tint on her face.

"Yeah..." She mumbled, letting out a embarrassed sigh. I chuckled in amusement, recalling the way she would huddle around her sketchbook, doodling with a dreamy smile. I was slightly curious on how she passed her classes if she sat there, drawing all period. Though, I didn't question it, allowing for the thought to slip away.

Namine and I sat there, murmuring quietly for the next twenty minutes. I had not mentioned my encounter with Marluxia nor did I inform her about anything else regarding my experiences with the game. She didn't seem to be bothered by it, only focused on forgetting. I did most of the blabbering, straying off topic to things like the TV shows I loved to watch or the music I preferred listening to. She would nod along, silent as a wall, sometimes agreeing with what I had to stay.

The discussion had lulled us into a sense of security, as if we were bound to live our daily lives once again. Though, I was confident that we were going to make it out of this hellhole. Namine had relaxed, a easy-going smile was placed on her face as she followed along with what I was ranting on about. She would giggle softly, making me grin widely. However, our little moment of joy was about to end.

I abruptly stood up, pretty sure it had been at least twenty minutes. Marluxia was probably nowhere near us. If anything, he could've been on the other side of this place. I frowned, wondering how huge this place could be. I wasn't too sure about being safe but hopefully, we'll run into some decent people. I offered my hand to Namine, who gratefully grasped my hand to stand up.

"I guess we should leave right about now.." I nervously whispered, picking off my backpack from the ground. She directed an anxious smile towards me, placing her bag onto her back. We stared at each other, taking a small moment to prepare. "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go.." She quietly murmured, shuffling around. I initiated the first move, strolling to the wooden door that creaked as I pulled it open. A small gulp, before exiting to the wide white halls. Tentatively, I stepped forward, glancing back to discover Namine doing the same. We were out in the open, where anyone could see us.

Once again, I'm back exploring these bloody halls... Though, the only difference is that now, I have a new companion by my side...

* * *

><p>A slight smirk was on his face, as he glided down the halls with ease. The halls were repetitive, with it's black-bricked walls and dim lights while the bloody walls whispered, encouraging him to spawn disaster. He would have never imagined that he would be out here, with a hatchet in his hand, being urged to <em>actually<em> kill someone. Though, he wasn't complaining.

Frustration slowly picked at him, as he continued walking down the ominous halls. Despite being out here for at least an hour, he wasn't able to find a single soul. He was told that there was at least ten people but not one person has walked into his view. It made him consider the size of the chamber-like place. However, he wasn't worried in the slightest bit because he _knew_ he'll find someone soon.

So, he roamed around the hallway, humming to himself before a racket caught his attention. Quickly, he darted his eyes towards the direction of the sound, noticing that the cause of it wasn't in his point of view. It was a shrill shriek, high-pitched and obnoxious. The annoyed shout, though a bit muffled, pierced his eardrums. He narrowed his eyes, before swiftly striding towards the same course. He opened a door to the right, certain that the noise came from the room. He paused with mild surprise when strings of curses blasted into his eardrums.

It was _her_, with her bright, blond hair slicked back, with two long pieces of hair styled into bug-like antennas in the front of her face. Her cyan eyes were furious, her mouth drawn into a scowl. It wasn't long before her sharp wit was able to detect the other presence in the room. With lightning speed, she turned to face the figure with a Taser clenched in her hand.

"Oh, it's _you,_" She sneered, holding herself up with confidence. He scoffed, before allowing the name of the familiar face to slip out of him.

"Well, if it isn't Larxene." He gripped his small ax with excitement, allowing a calm smirk to escape.

"Axel," Larxene spitted out, resentment painting her face. He scoffed, his green eyes piercing into her dangerous, gleaming eyes. He just couldn't believe his luck. Out of all the people he expected to meet, Larxene Warner _had _to be the last one on his list. Though, he didn't mind this at all. If anything, he was thrilled. He shot her a smile, dripping with coldness. She mirrored his expression, darting an icy smile back.

"You know," Axel started, "I'm feeling a bit disappointed to find that you haven't killed anyone yet. Did you forget the rules of the game?" Larxene placed on a cool glare, snorting.

"Would you like me to start with you?" She leered at Axel, mouth drawn in a ferocious growl. "Because I'd love to begin with you, _darling_." Her words held a fragment of sadism. Axel chuckled lowly in his throat, knowing that her words held truth in them.

"Only if you do it with your unconditional love towards me, _baby._" He purred back, grinning darkly. She cackled, her high-pitched voice ringing in the air. Oh, how he loathed the way she would laugh. It always set off a spark of irritation in him, even when they were together.

"I'm willing to do it just _like _that." Larxene whispered, a sinister smile on her face. Axel's grin grew even wider, before he started to wag his finger, reprimanding her.

"Ah, but you _wouldn't_ want to do it just like that." His grin turned bitter. "You should save your little, silly love game for your girly pink _boyfriend._" The thought of the pink-haired guy just straight-up repulsed him. Though, being near this wench was just as revolting, that even the mere sight of her made him want to hurl up all the contents in his stomach.

"Who cares about him when I have someone like you? The only thing I care about right now is _you _and _I_." Larxene uttered, a stiff smile on her face. The redhead laughed loudly, the sound biting into the chilling air. Larxene was such an ass-kisser, only flattering people when it would benefit her best. Axel was certainly not a fool when it came to things like this.

"Unfortunately, U and I aren't together in the alphabet. I'm sad to say that I'm just not falling for your sugar-coated lies." Larxene snorted, expression contorting into a foul, dark look. That was definitely her most bitchiest look right there, which also meant that she was planning on doing some serious damage. Axel was getting sick of talking to someone he disliked so he clamped onto his small ax, before bringing it out into clear view, his weapon gleaming brightly under the dim lights. He smirked widely, observing the way her face morphed into slight disbelief, bewildered that he had intention on hurting her.

Larxene's face morphed, cold eyes glittering angrily. She shifted into a position, with her Taser clutched tightly. He moved forward, never getting close enough to attack her. They began circling each other, as if they were in a wrestling match, competing for the prized metal. Axel never moved to attack, only containing a calm smirk on his face, edging Larxene to make the first move. Larxene was absolutely livid, teeth bared, growling.

Axel was aware of the fact that Larxene _knew _how to throw a punch. She had been a vicious fighter in the school, tearing apart any guys who dared tried to speak a word about her. He was pretty sure that she had traumatized all the guys she had fought. This was also the reason Axel refused to attack Larxene carelessly, understanding that she would attempt to claw his eyes out if he did. So, he cautiously took note of every single action she initiated, silently urging her to _do _something. But she was reluctant, eyeing the redhead up and down, an agitated frown growing.

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this? We can always start a team together." Larxene suggested, loosening up just a tad bit. Axel abruptly stepped forward, with a wicked smirk, making her tighten her grip on her Taser, a furious sneer showing.

"Now, why would I want to do that? I'd rather die than pair up with you." Axel murmured, slightly surprised and delighted when Larxene lunged at him, looking enraged. Her face was red, boiling up with anger, as her hands trembled with fury.

"Then, DIE!" Larxene roared, swinging her weapon at Axel, only to have him dodge it, an arrogant grin curving upwards. She growled with irritation, before moving swiftly, thrusting her Taser multiple times at his direction, only to meet air. Axel's hatchet was still clenched in front of him, showing no signs of using it. His grin was quickly fading, as his body struggled to move at her quick pace. Her weapon was crackling with electricity, ringing in the air. It wasn't long before he slightly slipped up, the Taser digging into his side, shocking him.

Instantly, pain convulsed through his body, paralyzed. Axel stood there frozen, muscles twitching uncontrollably, muscle spasms occurring. It took a few seconds before he was able to move from his stiff posture, blurry vision clearing, body aching from the electrical current running through his veins. Glancing up, he expected to find her weapon up in his face, ready to strike but instead an elated smile was placed on, sadistic pleasure slathered all over her face, chortling with pleased laughter. The redhead snorted slightly, the rumbling sound escaping his throat. Larxene had eased up, relaxing, with her Taser by her side, not expecting him to make a single move.

That was her first mistake.

Axel moved quickly, darting forward from his slumped position before grabbing the arm that contained the weapon, startling her. Larxene widened her astonished eyes but before she was able to do anything, Axel stole the Taser from her relaxed grip. The Taser was clenched tightly in his left hand while the hatchet laid in his right hand. Triumph filled his entire being, aware that he had already won the game between the pair. A smirk appeared on the redhead's face, absent-mindedly observing the way her veins popped out her face in rage. Once again, Larxene launched herself towards him, intent on receiving her weapon back.

That was her second mistake.

The instant Larxene dived at him, Axel immediately plunged the Taser into her stomach. She automatically reacted, her arms wrapping around her stomach, pain glazing her eyes. She began to jerk, thrashing around before falling to the ground. It wasn't long before she came to her senses, eyes flickering with fury at the smirking redhead. In a fit, she weakly attempted to steal back the weapon Axel held in front of her eyes.

That was her final mistake.

The hatchet that was held in Axel's grip was put into play, as he rammed the ax down, sinking it into her head. Blood slowly oozed out, before he pulled the hatchet away, blood spurting everywhere. Larxene's eyes went wide, finally comprehending the situation, as fear, pain and shock began to mix together. It wasn't long before her eyes rolled to the back into her head, and she slumped back, not moving. Axel let out a huge sigh of relief, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"Goodbye," Axel vocalized, no remorse appearing anywhere on his face. He ran a hand through his red hair, stretching his arms out before examining the dead body lying in a pool of blood. He might as well take everything, he decided so he crawled to the body, gripping the victim's backpack. The bottles of water and crackers were immediately placed in his own bag, along with the Taser. He grinned his cocky grin, deeming that everything turned out fantastically.

The only thing he didn't take notice of, was the bystander who watched the fight from beginning to end, not uttering a single word. Though, eventually running off towards the other direction after witnessing the particular bloody homicide.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: OKAY, here's another chapter done. I'm slightly apologetic for the character change, not really but it's such a weird transition from 1st POV to 3rd POV. It make me slightly wonder if I should've done this entirely 3rd Person. Ehh, whatever... Oh gosh, there's at least five participants already exposed and I just did it so quick.

Also, this is sort of looking like a Chain of Memories crew which I totally did not intend to do. Seriously. There's going to be different characters coming in later that aren't from that certain game. I switched the characters from Sora to Axel because it'll be a bit boring if I stayed on Sora all the time, so expect the main focus on different characters at some point. (It'll be back to Sora's POV in the next chapter)

Also, I'm trying to base Axel on his KH:COM personality rather than the one in KH II or 358/2, either I'm failing or succeeding at it, idk. He's rather mysterious, arrogant and very manipulative in that game (melodramatic too :P), which is a big change compared to his carefree attitude in the other games. Sorry, if anything seemed rushed, especially the death.

Feel free to criticize or review, etc. ;D (I'm pretty sure I made some mistakes)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

><p>We were walking through the long hallways, laughing together, silly jokes being spewed from my mouth. At least thirty minutes have passed since we made the decision to roam the halls. After exploring the halls with silence, I found the need to lighten the atmosphere up. It was a bit awkward at first but Namine soon eased up, nervously giggling a few times at the ridiculous puns I decided to throw out. Then, we both were at ease, striding down the halls as if we were the closest friends ever. Though, we were still a bit tense with caution.<p>

Even though we've been out in the isolated halls for a while, we haven't crossed paths with any participants yet which I found a bit odd. The halls were as silent as a grave. Though, the only sounds we were able to hear were the lights flickering. However, any small noises were hidden behind the loudness of my voice. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but worry slightly about the intensity of my voice, which was sure to attract the attention of people. Strangely enough, Namine didn't seem too bothered by it.

It wasn't long before a "ding" echoed through the place, interrupting our conversation and causing us to glance at each other in confusion. I was about to open my mouth to question the odd sound when a few crackling sounds penetrated my ears. The sound being produced reminded me of those awful static noise a person would receive when they were changing the radio station. Then, after a moment of that ear-piercing noise, a low menacing voice vibrated down through the halls, making shivers run up my spine.

**"The first kill has been initiated. The competitor, Larxene Warner, is now eliminated from the game. It is a pleasure to have you guys in this MurderFest, so please enjoy it to the fullest. Have a good day!"**

Any laughter on our faces disintegrated quickly, a horrified look appearing instead. Her startled eyes contacted with mine, light blue eyes wide with shock. The way her lips quivered in panic, her eyes wide open with fright was probably the reflection of what my face looked like. My head dully ached, as my mouth opened repeatedly, only to close again after words weren't properly formed. It took me a while but I was finally able to compose myself, though my fearful eyes conveyed the horror I felt.

"I-I-I.." I sharply glanced at Namine, who appeared to be lost with her words. Then after a long while, with sorrowful eyes, she stated. "I knew her.. I-I knew Larxene.." I breathed in deeply, head pounding more intensely than before. I never even knew a Larxene existed before today but the way Namine's eyes were blinking rapidly, frightened breaths escaping her, made me mourn a lot more about her death more than I probably would have if I were alone. It was clear Namine wasn't taking the announcement very well. I took a step closer to Namine, before rubbing her back gently.

"Are you okay?" I mumbled worriedly, a frown on my face. Namine didn't immediately replied, still in a state of shock. She stood there, head held down before answering.

"Y-yeah, I am.. I'm alright.." She whispered quietly, making me strain my ears. A quick glance at Namine was all I needed to understand that she was not at all "_alright_." Namine was shaking, her face pale with sadness. I bit my lips, turning my head away from the sight. That was a stupid question to ask.. There probably won't ever be a time where we would be "okay" in this game.

"Well, then.." I started slowly. "I guess we should keep walking.." I took a few steps forward, only to notice Namine wasn't following behind. She was still standing there, frame trembling in fright, mouth drawn tightly. So, I added in another option. "Unless, you want to stay in a room for a while?" She shook her head softly, staring into my eyes.

"I don't have the strength to keep moving.." Namine mumbled, her eyebrows furrowed together.

"Then, let's just spend our time in this room. We can relax for a while and ease up. We probably need some rest anyways. Besides, we-" I babbled, pointing to some random room to my right, getting ready to open the door. However, she shook her head, disagreeing.

"But I want to keep moving forward.." Namine declared, holding my stare. I pursed my lips together, thinking deeply as I stared at her intently. Her legs were still shaking, knocking into each other but her face was collected. I sighed lightly, before grabbing her hand tightly to mine and taking a hesitant step forward. She stumbled a little so I glanced at her with concern, a slight frown on my face, awkwardly holding on to her hand.

"Is this alright?" I questioned, holding her hand. She was slightly flushed but she nodded. So, we continued down the long halls. The lively mood from before had vanished completely, leaving only a gloomy heaviness in it's absence. We were silent, slowly trudging around the never-ending maze. I wasn't liking any of this. The more we continued on in the still quietness, the more I was becoming aware of the bad situation we were placed in.

The longer we kept walking, the more I was convinced that this place was a huge labyrinth. There were so many twists and turns that only continued to confuse me. The halls were awfully repetitive, with their bricked walls and dim lights. It was clear I had no idea on where I was going, as I tugged Namine down the ongoing hallways. It was the same with Namine, as she glanced around the maze with a perplexed expression It was only a couple of minutes later, when I wasn't able to take any more silence, the unchanging halls making my head blank out.

"Namine, are you sure you're alright?" I muttered, tightening my grip on her.

There was a slight pause, before a hesitant answer. "Yeah, I am.. Thanks for asking.." She sounded better than before, her voice calmer than the other time I asked her. My stiff grasp slightly loosened up. I sighed slightly, relieved, glad that she was feeling a bit more serene.

"How would they know if someone died?" I blurted out, attempting to start a conversation. I glanced behind me, watching as her eyes flickered to mine in mild surprise. It was a bad starting subject but I was desperate to continue talking.

"There might be cameras around here.." She quietly answered, tightening her hold on me, warning me. I nervously nodded, before resuming down the halls. Even though I wanted to carry on with chatting lightly, Namine didn't appear to be quite enthusiastic about talking. She only pursed her lips together, following slowly behind me, clenching my hand.

We were strolling down the repetitive halls when Namine tensed, clutching my hand firmly until I felt my bones crack. However, I was too busy turning around the left corner that I didn't take notice of the harsh, loud running heading towards our direction. Then, while turning to the left, my body bumped into some unknown figure, my forehead slamming against theirs. A slight crack rang the air, along with spontaneous groans. Namine let out a little frightened gasp, her sharp nails digging harshly into my hand as I stumbled back before hitting the ground with a grunt. I heard the other let out another low groan before they too dropped to the floor.

I was clutching my forehead, moaning in pain, my eyes clenched tightly together. Namine had placed her hands on my shoulder, shaking me softly in panic, but I only groaned in response. I opened my eyes, only to find my vision blurry. I blinked a couple of times, the dim lights of the gloomy halls shining brighter than ever. Slowly, I allowed myself to be plucked up by Namine, who gripped my arm and pulled upwards. I began to lean against the gritty walls, my body swaying to the side, my forehead aching dully.

"Are you okay?"

Namine whispered, worried. I nodded, despite my head continuing to pound. A disgruntled groan caught my attention, causing me to flicker my eyes downwards. Namine had also shifted her eyes the same way, scrutinizing the figure sprawled out on the floor, gripping their head. An inaudible gasp of recognition escaped her, light blue eyes widening.

"Aren't you R-" Namine paused, a slight frown on her face as she wracked her head for the name. "Roxas?" I was a little baffled, amazed on how Namine was able to identify every participant so far. I frowned, slightly shuffling, as I observed the way cerulean eyes dully gazed back, a bit dazed. Though, his eyes soon turned clear, ocean blue piercing sharply into my head. He never replied, not even a nod of confirmation to the name, nothing. He ignored the hand Namine placed out, eyeing it warily, before standing up stiffly, wiping off "imaginary" dust from his clothes.

Namine appeared to be uncomfortable, as she moved to hide behind me. I was a bit wary as well, uneasy as a blank stare was directed towards me. The blond narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the both of us intensely. It was dead quiet in the halls, accompanied by awkward staring.

Then, after what seemed like an hour of silence, he finally spoke.

"Yeah..." He mumbled under his breath, the suspicion in his eyes dimming down. "I'm Roxas.." Everything went silent after that, as his eyes flickered to the ground, glaring. Namine wasn't saying anything and I didn't feel quite prepared to start talking as well. But I kept in mind how it could've been worse.. That there was a good possibility that Namine and I could've ran into some psycho instead of the seemingly harmless person in front of us. Luckily, it wasn't a lunatic with a deadly weapon in his hands.

"So.." I placed on a strained smile, offering a handshake. "I'm Sora. Nice to meet you!" Namine gripped my bicep, as if she was trying to warn me. I brushed it off, as my polite smile grew wider. His cerulean blue eyes flickered to mine, blandly keeping his gaze on my outstretched arm. My bright smile slowly died down, hesitant, as the blond delayed any response. Then, after some more waiting, he spoke once again.

"Yeah, I know your name.." The reply was quiet. After a few seconds, my smile soon turned into a frown, as Roxas made no move to shake my hand. I slowly drew back my hand, only to blink in surprise when Roxas softly clutched my hand, shaking it lightly before pulling his hand away quickly. His expression was still stiffly blank, the slight frown on his face just barely there. I grew aware of Namine, who was directing a curious gaze to the blond.

However, Roxas ignored it as his attention flew to the ground once more, regarding it with false interest. Namine soon stepped in front of me, eyes wandering all over the blond. She was deep in thought, slightly frowning, as she observed Roxas. I stared at Namine oddly, wondering why she was staring at Roxas so strangely.

"Roxas." I looked at Namine, astonished when words fell out of her mouth. She wasn't much of a talker nor was Roxas from what I seen so far. "Why are you here?" I glanced at Roxas, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know.." He spoke softly but his words held an ounce of harshness to them, warning her not to ask anymore. His vacant expression slightly morphed, eyebrows furrowed together in irritation. Namine bit her lip and proceeded to step behind me again, murmuring an "okay." He was still staring at the floor, not daring to take a glimpse at us. I thought his behavior was a bit weird, along with Namine's. However, I didn't risk questioning it.

Another awkward silence occurred.

"Well.." I coughed lightly, gaining the attention of two blonds. "We're sort of looking around the halls, trying to find some people around here.. Would you like to follow along?" Roxas finally averted his eyes away from the ground, drilling his hollow eyes into mine. Wordlessly, he nodded absent-mindedly. I sent a hesitant smile his way, before saying, "Great!"

I grasped Namine's hand, tugging her forward. She stammered in surprise, slightly flushing. I mumbled an apology, slightly grinning, before releasing her hand. However, before I could walk past Roxas, a hand clamped down on my shoulder, startling me. It was Roxas, frowning deeply, clutching my shoulder tightly. Namine paused besides me, sending Roxas an alarmed glance.

"Uhh?" A questionable sound escaped my throat, making me sound like a moron.

"Let's go the other way.." Both Namine and I blinked obtusely, sending each other a dumbfounded look. Roxas didn't seem bothered by it, moving the opposite way we were walking, before pausing. He glanced at us, his face blank. "Are you coming?" He quietly asked, pausing to adjust the backpack I hadn't noticed until now. It was the same bag I have seen everyone carry around and his weapon was sticking out of his backpack. I couldn't help but blink, staring at his weapon, wondering how I could've missed it. Though, it was probably because I was facing his front side the whole time instead of his back. I noticed that Namine was also eyeing his weapon.

It was an aluminum baseball bat, and the metal was shining brightly under the gleaming lights. Begrudgingly, I told myself even a baseball bat did more damage than a simple screwdriver.

"Why do we need to go the other way?" I asked, glancing back at the hall Roxas first emerged from before placing my attention on him. "We already spent about an hour exploring those halls." I pointed behind Roxas, frowning deeply.

"We're going this way.." Roxas responded lowly, his vacant stare replaced with a small ounce of aggravation. I blinked again, wondering if Roxas was even listening to me. Small memories of Marluxia holding his sword popped up in to my head, urging me to protest against Roxas.

"But-"

"We are not going down those halls." Roxas firmly stated, his previous soft voice instantly growing louder and stronger. His empty, dull face had changed completely, replaced by a hard, irritated glare. I opened my mouth in disbelief, stupefied by the change in both his expression and tone. His face which was previously void of all emotions was scowling, eyes narrowed in impatience. I looked at Namine, who seemed shocked, caught off guard by the unexpected change of attitude in the blond.

Namine hesitated but soon found the courage to speak up. "Did something happen?" I took a closer glance at Roxas, noticing he was sweating, also slumping down in exhaustion. His fierce look was slowly dying down, the same impassiveness from before returning. He straightened up, sending an absent gaze at Namine, who shuffled around nervously. Then, he shook his head, pursing his lips as he refused to answer. I sighed tiredly, scratching my head, recollecting the sound of loud, frantic footsteps before crashing into a hard skull.

"Okay then, you can lead the way. We'll follow behind you." Roxas nodded his head at my decision before turning around and striding down the halls. I glanced at Namine quickly. Then, I proceeded to trail behind the blond, alongside with Namine.

It was going to be a _long _silent walk...

* * *

><p>"Aw man, what a mess I've gotten myself into!"<p>

A voice cried out, rubbing their dirt-blond hair styled into an odd mullet-like style, bangs falling over their face. The figure waved their weapon around in the air, sighing in disbelief. The figure was known to be a guitarist named Demyx, who was known for his casual, laidback manner.

"Ah geez, I'm just not fit for these type of games." Demyx groaned, swinging his hammer around. Though, it quickly slipped out of his hand, crashing into some wooden door. He winced, before stumbling over to his weapon, noticing the dent it left on the door. "Ouch.." He murmured, picking up the heavy hammer. It was pretty clear that Demyx was feeling quite upset, as he groaned and moaned irritably to himself. He had just listened to the announcement, declaring a certain person he knew was dead.

Sure, he never got along with Larxene, especially after the many attacks she initiated towards him but he couldn't help but miss the way she stood tall, oozing with power and strength. She was a cold, ruthless woman and she was_ **bad**. _Demyx just didn't understand how she died. In his opinion, Larxene was the biggest domineering person he ever met, who knew how to kick a lot of ass. He would also say that he was probably one of the closest friends she had, despite the cold responses he would receive from her. But now, she was **dead**.

As he mused over these frustrating thoughts, he kept a fast pace, zooming through the halls. It wasn't long until a shocking shade of red flickered into his vision, making him jump ten feet into the air. Demyx stared into light green eyes, a slight tiny amount of surprise highlighted in them. He instantly recognized the figure with the bright wild hairstyle to be Axel, a fellow classmate of his.

"Axel!" He shouted, his cyan eyes widening with joy. "It's you!" Axel glanced at him blankly, a disinterested look on his face.

"Do I know you?" Demyx could feel the nonchalant reply tearing a hole into his heart. He stared at Axel with the saddest frown he could muster and attached his hands on top of the redhead's shoulders, shaking him slightly. Axel stiffened slightly, his hands reaching for his backpack, pausing as Demyx mustered out a response.

"I'm your friend!"

Axel arched an eyebrow at the statement, not responding, his face not amused. Demyx let out a groan at that. How could Axel forget about all those times they spent together?

"I'm in six classes of yours! You know like Physical Education? Advanced Chemistry? Government Law? Music Theory? English? How 'bout icky _Pre-Calculus_?" Axel sent him a revolted gaze at the mention of math but did not bothered replying. Demyx had his mouth gaped open, eyes shockingly wide open.

"How the _hell _did you forget about me?** Dude**!" Axel was annoyed, staring daggers into Demyx, who let out a miserable sniff, mumbling "dude" repeatedly. Demyx tried one last time. "Come on _Axel_, I sit right **next** to you during lunch at the **same **table! Every... single.. day.. for the last ten years of my life!" The blond guitarist shook Axel, exaggerating his words. Axel couldn't have forgotten about him!

"I-" Demyx interrupted the redhead's words.

"Oh god! What the hell did they do to you!? Did you bump your head?" Demyx started running his fingers through Axel's hair, feeling for some sort of bump that might've been there. However, he was soon shoved off. A snort was directed at him with a slight smirk.

"Damn it, Demyx... Only you're dumb enough to think I'd forget a moron like you.." Axel snorted once again, flickering an unimpressed look at the blond, who gaped in shock.

"Axel!" Demyx shouted at the top of his lungs, jumping up. "I knew you didn't forget about me!" The redhead only scoffed in disbelief, shaking his head slightly. Demyx couldn't help but blink uncomfortably, as his eyes take in the view of blood all over his friend's clothes. Axel narrowed his eyes, noticing the curious gaze focused on his bloody clothes. "Where did all _that _blood come from?" Demyx pointed directly at the area slathered in blood.

"I cut myself." Axel bluntly stated. Demyx stared up and down Axel's figure, noticing the large amount of blood splattered on his shirt and jeans. There was only a few speckles of it on his face.

"Wow.." Demyx murmured in amazement. "That must've been one nasty cut.." Axel could've laughed but he would've rather not blow his cover at the moment. But it wouldn't have made a difference because Demyx was such an idiot. The fact that Demyx did not connect the blood on his clothes to the recent murder made him baffled. Demyx must've lacked a lot of common sense. Either that or he decided not to voice any suspicious thoughts. However, Axel felt more inclined to call his friend a fool.

"Yeah, it hurts a lot.." Axel said, glancing down at his clothes with disinterest. Demyx frowned, as the blood started to remind him of Larxene's apparent death.

"Did you hear the news?" Axel quickly flickered his eyes to Demyx, frowning. "You know, the one where they announced Larxene's dead..." Axel released a small smirk at the words, not able to resist a smug smile. However, Demyx was too busy moping to notice the triumph grin on the redhead's face. "Are you upset? I mean you dated her for a while... I liked her a little, she was pretty cool." Axel resisted the urge to snort, placing on a sympathetic frown instead.

"Yeah, I'm a bit upset.. I can't believe she's dead.." Despite the perfect despairing expression Axel rested on his face, his voice wasn't able to fake it. His voice cracked, making him clench his teeth in irritation. It was also impassive, dripping with signs of boredom. Apparently, he wasn't the "best" liar out there. Demyx was able to detect the obvious unconcerned tone, resulting in an instant, long stare to the redhead's face. But Axel kept his mournful frown, heartbroken eyes gleaming with sorrow. After staring at Axel's crestfallen expression, Demyx sighed sadly, shrugging off the odd tone to the redhead's voice.

"Whoever did it has to be a real asshole.."

"I agree.." Axel replied, sounding more dejected than before. It wasn't long before Demyx brightened up, moving closer to Axel, his smile gleaming brighter than ever.

"Geez, I don't get why anyone would ever talk bad about you. Man, you're the best guy ever!" Demyx waved his arms around, before slinging an arm around Axel, who froze slightly. Though, he quickly relaxed.

"Yeah, I don't know why either.." A slight grin appeared on the redhead's face, already knowing the answer as to why anyone would despise him. Then, Axel shoved the arm away from his shoulder. He began to walk away from the blond, right before hearing the confused stutter.

"W-wait, where are you going?" Demyx yelled out, puzzlement clear in his voice.

"Isn't it obvious?" Axel turned to grin wildly at his friend, who blinked, perplexed. "I'm leaving to get away from you." Demyx's dumbfounded expression only deepened, a clueless frown appearing.

"Huh?" Demyx uttered, bewilderment found in his eyes. "Shouldn't we stick together? I don't really feel like fighting anyone alone." Axel laughed loudly, his ferocious grin growing even wider.

"Sorry, I'm just not the teaming up type of person." Unfortunately, Axel didn't sound very sympathetic, which caused Demyx to frown. "Believe me, you're better off without me. If anything, you'll be a bit tad luckier. Plus, I'm doing you a favor so don't be so lazy." Demyx was staring blankly at Axel, his head backfiring. He couldn't really understand what Axel was trying to tell him nor did he understand what Axel was implying.

Right before the redhead left his sight, a smirk was sent his way.

"A piece of advice.. You should watch out for those close to Larxene. There's a possibility that someone we know must've killed her." The only person that popped up in Demyx's head was a certain pink-haired friend. Besides Axel, Marluxia was a _very _close friend of Larxene's. Axel soon disappeared, not leaving a single farewell. Demyx was left standing in the hallway, mind muddled. Then, he walked the other way, a confused gleam in his eyes.

* * *

><p>Five minutes had passed, making me rub my eyes in exhaustion. I never noticed how tired I was until Namine started yawning. After that, I was yawning everytime Namine would yawn. Despite the occasional yawning, we were all quiet while roaming the halls. Roxas was sauntering ahead, never pausing once. I started to notice that he was walking ahead quicker than before, desperate to place some distance between him and some other person. After some more yawning, Namine decided to whisper in my ear.<p>

"Sora, don't you know him?" Namine quietly mumbled, making me strain my ears. Was she talking about Roxas? I flickered my eyes to the lone figure gliding down the halls, thinking. Namine had also placed her attention to him, observing his rigid form.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered back, confused. Namine placed a finger to her lips, warning me to stay quiet.

"It's "that" kid. The one everyone talks about in school." I only stared back, puzzled. I was pretty sure nobody ever mentioned a guy like Roxas to me during the course of high school.

"Huh?" I wasn't able to put any more words into my confusion. Namine frowned slightly, before leaning into my ear, murmuring. Her words reached my ear, along with her warm breaths.

"He's Roxas Ford.. The one that nobody likes..." I glanced at her sharply, frowning. Then, I blinked, nervously taking a few glimpses of the stiff posture up ahead. I pondered for a few seconds, before I registered what Namine was telling me. Then, it hit me unexpectedly, making me wonder why I even forgot who Roxas was.

Roxas was a well-known freshman at our school, which was probably the reason why I wasn't comprehending her words. Earlier on, I automatically assumed Roxas was a sophomore which didn't help much. He was more "infamous" than anything, well-known for the wrong reasons. The sophomores and the juniors really never bothered to care about the freshmen rumors that spread throughout the school so I was a bit vague on details.

Apparently, in the beginning of the school year, he vocalized a few "harsh" insults to some seniors that were bothering him. It all went downhill from there. Nobody ever told Roxas that those particular seniors shouldn't have been messed with. In the end, he became the most bullied kid of the school, both by seniors and freshmen. Most of the freshmen were intimidated by the seniors, being urged to harass the blond unless they wanted to become a target themselves. However, it was easy for the freshmen, since they were spiteful of the fact that Roxas caused most of the offensive relationship between the seniors and themselves.

"Oh yeah.. I know him.." I mumbled a bit hesitantly, nervously glancing at the blond. Namine frowned, mirroring my previous actions. If Roxas heard the things we were saying, he must've been ignoring it fully. His stance was still rigid. Also, his pace slowed down and he was closer to us than before.

Namine continued murmuring about some of the rumors circulating Roxas, which caused me to peek glances at the blond anxiously. I was listening absent-mindedly, deep in thought as I pondered on to myself. Despite, being a freshman, Namine didn't appear to despise Roxas from the way she was talking about him but it still made me a bit edgy. I came to the realization that this must've been the reason Namine was acting a bit odd around Roxas.

Later, I grew exhausted of the space Roxas was placing in between us. I jogged towards him, noticing the stunned look Namine shot my way. I placed on a small smile, as I walked side-by-side to Roxas. He still had the same impassive expression from before, his face straight.

"So.." I started cheerfully, a smile on my face. "How are you feeling?" Roxas sent me a blank stare, frowning slightly, taking in my joyful attitude.

"Fine.." He answered in a deadpan tone, a small flicker of coldness found in his voice. There was a tired gleam in his eyes, which caused me to rub my eyes sleepily. From the way he was trying to ignore me, walking in a faster pace, I knew he overheard the conversation between Namine and I. I felt guilty, despite not talking bad about him at all. I glanced back at Namine, who stared down at the ground, ashamed as well.

This was not going nicely at all.

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><p><strong>AN:** Meh, I don't know how I feel about this chapter but I wanted to update so yeah.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

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><p>I didn't know how long it's been since we started walking around these halls. An hour? Two hours? Three hours? It didn't matter because one thing was clear. I was exhausted. Walking felt like a chore and sleep was the central idea in my mind. Another way to put it was that it felt as if someone anchored rocks to my leg, pulling me down. I was falling behind from the group, which were the results of dragging my feet slowly down the path. However, I wasn't the only one with this problem. It was clear the other two was feeling just as drained as I. Namine was rubbing her eyes constantly, giving an occasional yawn. Roxas's weariness was harder to detect but the way he gave slight pauses every few minutes before letting out a deep sigh was an obvious sign.<p>

It was plain clear we were all tired.

Honestly, I was probably exaggerating when I mentioned the "many" hours of us walking but it had to be at least thirty minutes. For some reason, it also felt like we circulated the whole place a few times. Though, I couldn't tell from the repetitive design and doors. In reality, we probably haven't past the same area as before. Also, we haven't met any other participants, which definitely meant something since they couldn't _all_ be hiding in the rooms.

Sighing, I glanced at Namine, watching as her curious, light blue eyes peered at me tiredly. I frowned, watching as she let out one of her usual yawns. In the corner of my eyes, I recognized the stilling of Roxas's body. But then, it quickly moved out it's frozen position, trudging down the halls slower than before. Though, I didn't really have the urge to keep following along. I opened my mouth to address the pair but then I quickly closed it, as a nervous feeling shuffled around in my stomach. What if they didn't like my idea?

"Umm guys?" I mumbled, my voice hesitant.

Roxas paused from his spot, turning around to give me a blank stare. That was all I needed to continue. Despite the flat expression, I was able to assume Roxas was listening with open ears from the way he locked his serious, cerulean eyes to mine. I peeked at Namine, who was still staring at me. I let out a small smile, relieved they decided to pay me some attention.

"I was just thinking we should stop walking for a while. It's obvious we're all tired! So, why don't we find a room to rest in and talk a little? I think that's best for now rather than blacking out from exhaustion... So, how 'bout it?"

I was mostly staring at Roxas for confirmation, since Namine always seemed to agree with what I have to say. Roxas frowned a little, as he scrutinized both Namine and I, studying our worn out postures and drained faces. Then, he turned away without a word, trudging down the halls as if I never said anything. My face scrunched up, bewildered by Roxas's unresponsive attitude.

"I guess not then." I muttered, peering at Namine, who shrugged uncertainly with a perplexed face. I sighed in exasperation, before continuing to move forward. Namine quickly followed along, her small footsteps walking besides me. Then, after a minute of strolling, Roxas stopped walking entirely, pausing in the middle of a hallway with doors planted left and right. I raised an eyebrow, as Roxas turned to face me with his usual passive look.

I was silently hoping that he was going to mention taking a little break. To be honest, with the way things were occurring, I couldn't help but feel that Roxas was playing the "commander" role while Namine and I were his little followers. Though, most likely, that wasn't the case. It was just some stupid thought that hit me. It was plain obvious Roxas wasn't the "talking" type so that might affect us later on. We, as a group, needed to get comfortable with each other. That way, all the decisions we make later on are simple and understandable.

"Hey, Roxas," I stated loudly, making sure to appear confident as I stared into his eyes. He peered back wordlessly, barely blinking. It unnerved me a little but I continued to talk. "I don't think you really heard me when I mentioned this the first time but I-"

"You want us to take a break." Roxas interrupted, cerulean eyes drilling into my face. I blinked, before letting out a nervous grin.

"Yeaah, that's the idea." I drawled, rubbing my head. "So, can we?" I almost wanted to slap myself. Didn't I just tell myself we're going to decide things as a group? I can't just turn to Roxas everytime I needed a decision to be made.

Just like before, Roxas didn't respond. Instead, he turned away from Namine and I. Again, my face scrunched up in displeasure and right when I was about to voice my exasperation, Roxas opened a random door to the left and slipped inside. Baffled, I blinked in shock but a relieved smile soon appeared on my face. Of course, Roxas wasn't the type of person to talk. And actions always speak bigger than words. I followed Roxas inside the room, waiting for Namine to enter before closing the door shut.

Immediately, I plopped down to the ground, sighing happily. Namine mimicked my movement, as she tentatively placed herself besides me. My muscles cried out delightfully from my relaxed posture as my eyes fluttered close from the pleasure I was experiencing. I took a few moments to take a few nice, slow breaths, enjoying my quality time sitting down with the ground.

After my little moment, I opened my eyes, only to find Roxas still standing in the middle of the room with his rigid form. A disapproving frown appeared on my face and with a couple of small pats to the ground, I ushered Roxas to join our little, sitting party.

"Roxas, come take a seat!" I voiced, producing a satisfied grin when Roxas fell to the ground beside me with a tiny grunt. Everything definitely feels better when we're in the safety of a closed room. When we were walking down the hallways, I could feel my eyes flying all over the place, trying to find some sort of monster lurking from behind the dark.

I grabbed my backpack, producing a huge smile when I laid out my crackers and water bottle on the floor. Roxas only glanced at it with disinterest while Namine peeked at the food curiously.

"So, is anyone hungry?" I vocalized, staring at the two blondes. "'Cause I sure am. Though, I don't get why anyone would think crackers are a good thing to eat." I stared at my box of crackers with distaste. However, my stomach was quick to growl in protest. I let out an embarrassed chuckle, reaching out to grab my crackers before ripping the box open to grab the crackers hidden inside.

"I don't think we received the same snacks." Namine replied, eyeing me as I stuffed a couple of crackers into my mouth. I let out a disbelieving gasp, as I attempted to quickly swallow the dry, salty food.

"You don't have crackers?" I questioned, sending her a incredulous stare. Namine nodded silently, before reaching into her own backpack. Then, a huge box of chips were placed in front of my eyes. It definitely looked more appetizing than the crackers I was given. Once again, I felt my stomach let out a deep, long rumble at the sight as my mouth began watering. "You have chips... Man, that looks more tasty than mine. But didn't you say you were given a box of crackers too? Oh, never mind..." There was a label that said "cracker chips" but it was certainly not the same as crackers. Namine let out a small smile, before letting out a few words that had me wanting to hug her forever.

"I don't mind giving you some cracker chips, Sora." I drew back in surprise before shooting her a wide, hopeful look.

"Really? Oh gosh, thanks!" Namine only giggled, beaming with joy at my response. As we smiled at each other with our jubilant grins and small laughs, I remembered that Roxas was still sitting next to me. I diverted my attention to him, instantly finding his unreadable face and calm stare facing us.

"So, Roxas!" My cheerful smile was stuck on my face, though my body was shuffling around nervously. "Did you receive something different from the food we were given?"

"Yeah.." He muttered under his breath, which had me straining my ears to hear him.

"So, uh-what-"

"Beef jerky." Roxas cut in, causing some irritation to build up inside me.

"Oh, that sounds tasty. I wonder-"

"I'm not sharing." Once again, Roxas interrupted with his frigid eyes and aloof tone. I could feel a strained smile desiring to cut across my face and with a slow nod, I turned away from the distant blond. If I had to describe Roxas in one word, "**rude**" would definitely be it. Namine kept sending me these concerned glances that had me wanting to bang my head in frustration.

Soon, we were all munching away at our snacks. While Namine and I were sharing our crackers and chips together, Roxas was eating his beef jerky. There was a comfortable silence that wasn't doused in awkwardness which was relieving to say the least. After we finished our meal and drank our water bottles, Namine and I fell back into a conversation, though I opted to ignore Roxas just for a while.

"I wonder if there's an exit to this place." Namine mumbled, as she turned to face the closed door, a hazy gleam to her bright blue eyes. Her gaze was wistful, with a sad smile on her face.

"We'll definitely find a way out of this. Don't worry! Namine, there will surely be people who will find-"

"That's total bullshit." Roxas interjected, glowering at me with his chilling eyes. I was stunned, not aware that Roxas was following along to my words. "There's not going to be a '_way out of this_.' We're not going to even be _alive _by the end of the week! You believe people are going to get us out of this? That's a total lie! Even _**you **_don't know where the hell we are. How can you expect anyone to find us!?"

"Well, I'm sorry! Then, let's just tell ourselves we'll all be dead by tomorrow. That there's no hope of ever escaping this place! That people will find our guts splattered on the walls by the time they find this place!" Namine's mouth flew open, complete and utter shock filling her face by the harsh words escaping my mouth. I was about to add another angry remark but Roxas shot me a cold glare.

"It's better than lying to yourself about the goddamn truth!" This talk was getting out of hand.

"Sure, let's believe-" I started but Namine was quick to intervene in our heated dispute. With a embarrassed frown, she murmured to us.

"S-sorry to interrupt but I-I think I need to use a bathroom.." Our eyes immediately flew to the flushing blonde, who turned even redder. Like a moron, I only stared at her for a while which was causing Namine to grow insanely humiliated. "U-um."

"You need to use a bathroom?" I repeated dumbly back, with wide eyes. It's sad to say I haven't thought about using a restroom at all since I woke up here. Namine only nodded back mutely, her pale cheeks now scarlet. Roxas only stared at Namine with a small frown, appearing to be deep in thought, his angry attitude switching back into a calm one.

"There's not a single bathroom in here at all.." Roxas stated, in his quiet voice. "But I think we can use a room down the hall. Do you want me to take you?" Roxas offered, as he rose off the ground. Namine quickly took a glimpse at my dumbfounded face before nodding wordlessly. Then, she stood up, brushing off the crumbs from the chips and crackers.

"But wait!" I abruptly added in. "Why do you need to come with Namine? Does she really need someone to watch her pee?" Roxas only gazed at me dully, while Namine released an awkward squawk.

"No, she does not. I'm only coming with her to make sure there's nobody out there to hurt her. I'll just stand outside the door when she's doing her business." Roxas replied, voice monotonous.

"Oh yeah... Of course." I mumbled sheepishly.

Then they were out the door, leaving me to utter silence. I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my head. I don't really know if I could socialize with Roxas at all. All he did was emit a pessimistic air around him, along with his dreary thoughts. Plus, all his talking would only depress Namine and I further. In my opinion, it was best to hope for the positive outcome than the negative one. What would we look forward to if we're expecting death?

I've never really talked or confronted Roxas in my school life but it seemed as if he already knew me. I let out a groan, feeling my head throb in confusion. Maybe it'll be best if I befriended Roxas, despite what he thinks.

It was at least a minute or five when the two blondes returned from wherever they went, most likely down the hall where we won't be able to smell any foul waste. Within the next ten minutes, weariness finally overcame us all, causing us to lay on the cold stone floor. I resigned to laying my head on my backpack, moving my body into a fetal position while Namine did the same. We soon fell asleep, though it didn't come to us quite easily. Roxas was the one who decided to watch guard, making sure nobody would barge in while we were napping. But he didn't last very long for he dozed off as well with his closed eyes facing the ceiling and back on the stiff floor.

* * *

><p>By the time Namine and I woke up the next morning, Roxas was already wide-awake. He was standing near the door, with his bag on his back. Roxas looked as if he were ready to just burst out of the room already. I rubbed my eyes, yawning tiredly. Namine stayed silent, her fatigued eyes observing Roxas. Even though Roxas was clearly prepared to leave the room, Namine and I weren't as lively to go on a trip.<p>

"We have to leave already?" I grumbled, wiping the disgusting gunk in my eyes away. My mouth was also not the cleanest thing, for a gross taste lingered on to it. I grabbed a water bottle, hoping it'll wash down my stinky breath.

"No, you don't have to leave..." Roxas stated, as he turned to grab the doorknob. "I'm just going to search around a little, maybe for an hour or two. I'll be back soon, so stay in here." I frowned, placing my doubtful eyes on Roxas. A few complicated thoughts were popping up but I wasn't too sure on voicing them.

"How will you find your way back..?" Namine asked softly, glancing at her hands. "You know, since all the halls look the same. You might lose your way..."

"That's a good point!" I added in, curious on Roxas's reply. "Unless you're planning on leaving us behind." It was declared in a joking manner but there was a small hint of seriousness behind the tone of my voice. Roxas only frowned at me, shaking his head slowly.

"I'll find a way back somehow..." Roxas mumbled, before stepping out of the door. Namine frowned until a small smile started to grace her features.

"Roxas, wait!" Namine stood up, running forward as she attempted to grab Roxas's attention. "I know how you can find this room again!" I peered at Namine curiously, feeling my mind go blank as I wondered how Namine was able to think of an idea that'll allow Roxas back here.

"How?" I muttered, a perplexed frown on my face. Roxas was also staring back at Namine with an arched eyebrow. Namine glanced back at me, before requesting to borrow my screwdriver. My confused look deepened further and I nodded, quickly removing the screwdriver from my backpack before handing Namine my screwdriver. Namine closed the door shut as soon as we were all out of the room.

Then Namine's hand shot to the wooden door, immediately going to work. She struggled to dig the sharp part of my rusty screwdriver into the wood, carving deeply with a concentrated look. It was less than five minutes before she moved away, allowing me to grab a glimpse of the door. I raised an eyebrow at the design, while curiosity arose. On the door, was an engraved heart with a roman numeral III.

"What's the three for?" I questioned, feeling awfully confused by the nicely done design.

"It's for the number of people living in the room. This way Roxas could find us more easily when he's going down the halls." Namine replied as she handed back my screwdriver. I bit my lip, wanting to question what the heart meant as well but Roxas interrupted anything I was about to say.

"Okay, thanks Namine. I'll be back." Namine sent him a tiny hesitant smile, nodding. I only sent him a polite smile but Roxas regarded our smiles with only a frown.

"Yeah, come back safely.." With a nod, Roxas disappeared from our sights. Then, Namine and I returned to the room, without a ounce of curiosity on the reason why Roxas would decide to explore the dreary hallways alone.

* * *

><p>It had to at least been an hour since Roxas left. Namine and I decided to talk amongst ourselves as we waited for Roxas's return. We had already ate a few bites of chips and crackers. It wasn't long before the sound of footsteps arrived at the door and Namine smiled, saying it must be Roxas. She stood up, before exiting the room. I just sat there, expecting Roxas and Namine to enter anytime soon but I wasn't hearing anything which arose some caution. Frowning, I yelled out Namine's name, moving out to the door but that wasn't needed.<p>

Namine soon entered the room but it wasn't Roxas who walked in. Instead, there was a large hand on Namine's shoulder and a deadly sword positioned near her throat that surely didn't describe Roxas at all. I looked up in shock, before the sight of a certain senior with hair the color of roses. Namine looked horribly bewildered and startled, probably not understanding what Marluxia was intending.

"What?" I gasped out, the disbelief in my voice clear. "What are you doing?" Marluxia didn't appear to look the same as before. However, I wasn't talking about his physical state, though it was a bit different with his discontent frown and eyes shining with a bit of anger. I didn't understand where the rage was coming from but it was definitely there. All I could wonder is what the hell was he planning to do?

"Having fun." Marluxia stated, his uneasy attitude transforming icy smirk and sinister presence. Then, Marluxia drew his sword closer to Namine's throat, making my eyes widen in panic.

"Why?" I choked out again, as my hands flew into my pockets, fumbling around for my screwdriver. I let out a distressed groan when I realized I had left my screwdriver in my backpack. I moved my left hand to the back, straining to unzip my bag, before groping around for my weapon within the pile of water bottles and crackers. When I finally grasped onto the screwdriver, I whipped it out and held it threateningly. I glared at Marluxia with twitchy eyes and a scowl. However, he only glanced back at me with boredom.

Though, it was completely understandable on why Marluxia would look disinterested. His long, sharp sword compared to my small useless screwdriver is way better than my weapon ever hoped to be. It was like placing a small mouse in front of a starving cat. But Namine was in danger... She was breathing heavily, frame trembling in fear. I needed to save her..

"Y-you... Let Namine go!" I declared loudly, gripping my screwdriver even tighter. "If you do anything to her, I-I won't h-hesitate to jab my s-screwdriver into your e-eyes!" I threatened, my voice shaking in fear. Marluxia was quick to let out a scornful laugh, making my face scrunch up in anger while my body shook, both in fury and intimidation.

"What makes you think you can do anything? Especially with that flimsy weapon?" Marluxia let out another one of his snobbish chuckle, face clearly amused by the display of false bravery.

I was about to respond with a smart remark but then, time froze as something caught the corner of my eye. Instantly, I diverted my attention to the door, just in time to find Roxas entering the room. It was obvious Roxas wasn't aware of the situation that was currently occurring. His cerulean eyes were concentrated on the ground in a downcast manner, while a small frown graced his distraught face.

My mind was too busy being distressed to wonder what caused such an expression on the usual bland face. Then, a panicked yelp brought my attention back to Namine. She was staring at me with her wide, frightened eyes and trembling frame. I could clearly hear the short, panicky gasps escaping her mouth. I was quick to catch a glimpse of her throat, which had a thin cut on her pale, milky skin. There were small droplets of blood raining down from the cut, making me take a deep, shaky breath.

I was too focused on Namine's terrified stature to notice Marluxia was talking to me in his usual intimidating manner. Though, when I was aware he was speaking to me, I hastily diverted my eyes to Roxas, who finally noticed our "little" problem. His body was frozen as he stared at the scene ahead and his huge, startled blue eyes hurried to focus on me, as if he were afraid to acknowledge what was currently happening.

What was I suppose to do? Namine kept standing there, gazing at me with her terrified eyes, begging me to take action, to _**do **_**something**. But I could only flash her a hysteric expression that screamed "_I don't know what to do!_" Any small hope vanished from Namine's light blue eyes, causing her eyes to dim down, along with a defeated cry. My heart tightened in grief when I noticed the resigned look that crossed Namine's face, making me grit my teeth in frustration. Didn't I make a promise to protect Namine? I won't be able to keep my word with her with this cowardly attitude I keep displaying.

I took a shuddering sigh, before flickering my eyes to Roxas once again. Even though my eyes kept flickering back and forth, Marluxia never took notice of my frenzied glances that kept shooting to the door. Even if he did, he chose to ignore it.

I bit my lip as I stared at Roxas, who was currently paralyzed in fear, sending him a pleading look. I clenched my fists tightly until they were white when I noticed the unsettled expression Roxas threw back at me. Then, Roxas peeked at Marluxia, only to quickly glance back at me with his nervous stare. It wouldn't be surprising if Roxas left by now from the way he was acting. Though, I disregarded the thought to let out an agonized groan, opening my mouth to whisper out to Roxas.

"Ro-" I tried to breathe out but Roxas frantically placed a finger to his lips, urging me to keep quiet. Anxiously, I sent a glance to Namine and Marluxia. It was obvious they heard what I was trying to say. Namine had looked up from her restrained position, peering at me with expecting eyes, wondering if she heard wrong. However, Marluxia only narrowed his eyes in suspicion, causing me to flinch back.

"Ro-?" Marluxia questioned, bringing his sword even closer to Namine's throat. A choked whimper escaped from Namine, while Marluxia arched his eyebrow, expecting an answer. I let out a nervous smile, only to hear a scoff escape the rosy-haired man.

"Did I say that?" I mumbled anxiously, rubbing my head sheepishly. "I meant to say- umm- rock?" It came out sounding more like a question than a confident, certain answer. "I mean they have such a lovely, rock design in this place, ya know?" Marluxia was the first to send me a doubtful gaze, as he let out a mocking, dry laugh. Roxas was also quick to send me an annoyed look, shaking his head in disbelief.

But all Roxas's irritation and fear soon escaped him as a new intensity took ahold, transforming his face completely. Roxas slowly reached behind him and into his backpack to grab his aluminum baseball bat, making sure not to make a single sound. Then, he inched closer to Marluxia, tip-toeing with his small steps with a tight grip on his bat. As the expressions on Roxas's face continued to grow more fierce, with only a few speckles of dread, I started to marvel at the wide range of emotions flickering throughout his face. It seemed as if I saw more emotions on the blond's face the last five minutes than the last day I spent with his usual blank self.

"Heh, you expect me to believe you were meaning to say rock?" Marluxia's voice was freezing cold, chilling my bones right down to the core. A fast peek to his face had me averting my eyes away as quick as possible. It was obvious that Marluxia was not amused, as his dull eyes drilled into mine.

"Uhh, yes?" Once again, I had made a stupid remark and even Namine was starting to look a bit exasperated. Marluxia let out another one of his flat chuckles, scorning me with his haughty attitude.

"I know what you were going to say." That statement made me freeze and a hesitant smile appeared on my face. Despite what Marluxia had said, Roxas kept moving towards the guy, with his very tiny steps. I just wanted to scream for Roxas to just hit Marluxia already so we can get the hell out of here but Roxas only approached the situation with caution.

"Really? You do?" I mumbled. "So, uhh- what do you think I was trying to tell you guys?" The danger of the situation was painfully clear to me. There was a huge part of me that was screaming to just take action and hit Marluxia before anything major could happen but the fear of receiving a sword digging into my guts kept me from moving anywhere.

"Hmm..." Marluxia verbalized, with his condescending smirk, before listing the numerous possible answers. "Ro. Rock. Rod. Rot. Ross. Ron-" As Marluxia continued, I grew doubtful that the pink-haired participant even knew what I was originally trying to say. "Oh wait, I think I've got the word." Even before the word flew out of Marluxia's mouth, I disregarded the response, expecting it to be some silly answer.

"Is it Roxas, that wretched nobody?"

My eyes quickly diverted to Roxas, who became rigid. His face was completely lifeless, his gaze becoming deadpan. Roxas was completely frozen, as if his brain decided to stop functioning. But then, almost in an instant, Roxas morphed into a new person. A cold rage began to devour Roxas and no longer was he careful of keeping his quiet presence. His fists squeezed the baseball bat until his hands were bruising. A large, displeased scowl, furrowed eyebrows and a mean glare was enough to make me widen my eyes in alarm.

Loud, harsh stomps swiftly moved deeper into the room and with a growl, he smashed his baseball bat to the back of Marluxia's head. It was too sudden for Marluxia to react. Even though the blow to his head was enough to daze Marluxia, he never released his hold on Namine, who had let out a startled cry from the sudden lurch. I was shaken from the fury Roxas was displaying that I couldn't help but gasp out a few shaky words.

"R-Roxas, you d-don't have to hit him that h-hard.." I squeaked out, scared stiff. However, Roxas paid no heed to me as he studied Marluxia with his angry glower.

"Wha-" Marluxia started, as soon as he started to recover but Roxas didn't allow that. Immediately after coherency, Roxas rammed his weapon at Marluxia, smacking away at his head, as if he were trying to break a piñata for a load of treats. At the second blow, Marluxia finally released his hold on Namine, as his hands reached to grip his head. She stumbled towards me, clutching her throat, gasping broken breaths. I grabbed for her, pulling her to the side.

With wide eyes, we both watched the horrifying sight that was unfolding in front of us. Marluxia had finally turned around, only to meet the culprit of his attack. Marluxia opened his mouth to talk but Roxas only swung his bat, colliding with the rosy-haired senior's face in a harsh manner. A grunt escaped Marluxia as a crack rang into the air that caused us to let out a startled yelp.

Marluxia's hands were clutching his nose, blood sliding down his face. I thought that must've been the end of it, that we can now leave in peace. But no, there was still an irksome frown on Roxas's face. His weapon moved up into the air, preparing to swing again. However, I hastily tried to stumble to Roxas. With a shuddering gulp, I composed myself.

I needed to stop Roxas from beating the guy to death.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** OKAY, so when I was typing this chapter down, I was definitely not in the mood to write. My mind was not coming up with anything even though I had the whole summary of the chapter typed down in my Notes app. So, I skipped ahead and did the complete ending to this before resuming the beginning of this chapter. I was more into typing this whole thing down after finishing the ending. So that's good despite the odd way of doing this chapter.

Yes, I totally think Roxas loses all rational thought when he's angry. Actually, I can't help but think it's that way with every single person. Except, it might be harder to make certain people angry.

Oh also, I had planned for Demyx to die in this chapter but it was too vague so I decided to delay it for a while. But everything in this chapter is exactly the way I planned it to be.


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